Wedding Bliss
by TEAnCRRRUMPETS
Summary: Pansy and Draco's big day approaches, but can Draco really cope with marrying someone he doesn't love? Can Ginny change his mind?
1. Chapter 1: An End and A New Begining

Chapter 1 An End and A New Beginning

Standing in front of the mirror, a tall, young woman stood, smiling at herself. In all the years that passed since she had left Hogwarts, she hadn't changed much. She was still hard faced, although it had softened slightly, still had a pointed nose, and she still loved Draco Malfoy. Her hair was the only thing that had changed. Instead of the short-ish brown hair she'd always had back in Hogwarts, it was now long, and red. Not Weasley red, mind you, but a deep red, almost like blood, flowing over her shoulders and down her back.

Her eyes dropped their line of vision to her white satin shoes, just visible from underneath her dress. Her hands rose from her sides to smooth down her dress once more. When her bridesmaid, Millicent, arrived, she would ask her to do her corset up tighter than she could manage to do with her wand. This is it', she thought. The day you've been waiting for is finally here!

"Pansy Parkinson, you are, by far, the world's luckiest girl," she said aloud, walking to the mantelpiece where a single photo stood. She looked at it, sighing happily. It was a photo of her and Draco, kissing each other on the beach.

Meanwhile, in a Wiltshire mansion, someone wasn't ready. Draco was in his room, trying to become the Draco he had once been. Today was his wedding day, and by tomorrow, things would have drastically changed. He would never be allowed to be with the one he loved anymore, and he was being torn apart. She loved him for the Draco he had been, the snide Draco, who would always tease her, call her names, but being with Pansy had made him weak. He bent to her every whim and every need. Pansy's effect on him had nearly cost him his love; but she had promised to stand by him. No matter what and she would, one day, get back the Draco he had been, and the Draco she loved.

Pacing back and forwards, Draco made a decision. He walked over to the fire, and knelt by it. Sticking his head in, he took a pinch of Floo powder, threw it into the fire, and stated the address he was looking for.

Mrs. Parkinson walked in as Pansy put the final touch to her wedding outfit: her tiara. It wasn't too extravagant, but rather simple. It was crown-like in structure, and a heart shaped ruby was set into the middle point. Her mother stood there, awestruck at how beautiful she looked.

They say a mother can see their daughter as a child on her wedding day, and Mrs. Parkinson saw just that. She saw herself and Narcissa holding their bundles of joy, Draco and Pansy, when they had been a few weeks old, and then her mind went forward in time, to when they were learning to walk together, holding hands to keep themselves balanced. She moved forward to when they had learned to read and write, and the mischief they had been into. Then came their first outing for school equipment in Diagon Alley, then, the holidays that were at either Malfoy Manor or Parkinson Place, each time choosing between the two. Her proudest moment, however, was when Draco and Narcissa had come to Parkinson Place, and he and Pansy had announced to everyone that they were engaged to be married. Now, two years on from that day, she stood in her daughter's room, remembering everything about her little girl's past. She and Narcissa never would have guessed that one day their children would marry each other. She wiped a tear from her eye.

"Mother, are you crying?" Pansy asked.

"N...no dear..." she said, trying to act like she really hadn't been crying. "I'm so happy for you, Pansy..." She wrapped her arms around her daughter, who hugged her back.

"Thank you mother," she said, her voice quivering as though she was going to cry too.

In the Burrow, not too far from Parkinson Place, where the wedding was to be held, Ginny Weasley sat, slightly upset.

Since she had left Hogwarts, she'd seen a lot of Harry, Luna, Lavender and Neville, because the four of them lived in a house that they had been building since their sixth year in Hogwarts, and they had completed it by the summer that they had left Hogwarts. This wasn't the reason she was unhappy though.

She looked around at all the happy faces in the room. Everyone here was engaged: Bill and Fleur, Percy and Penelope, Fred and Angelina, George and Alicia, Ron and Hermione, Harry and Luna, and Lavender and Neville. Even Charlie, who wasn't here, was engaged to Tonks. She was the only one sitting in this room who wasn't, and she hated it. She was in love with someone, who loved her back, but they couldn't be together.

The fireplace crackled, and she went to kneel by it. Could it be him? His face appeared in the fire, and she knew it was.

"Draco..."she whispered.

"Ginny. I can't get married, not now," he said, his face looking grim. Everyone in the room tried to turn away. None of them approved of the relationship, especially because Draco had been their enemy for so long, but Ginny loved him, and they needed to respect that, and they did, to a certain extent.

"What do you mean, Draco?" Ginny asked. "You have to. It's all been organized now..." She tried to hide the happiness that laced her voice.

"I know," he said. "But I can't do it..." he said. "Can you Apparate over in five minutes?" Again, she nodded.

"I'll see you in five then." he said, and disappeared.

Millicent had arrived, the corset had been tightened, and now all that Pansy was waiting for was the owl from Draco saying they were on their way. She went into the garden where the ceremony was to be held. The chairs were laid out behind a large metal arch that had red and white roses trailing from it. Her bouquet also contained red and white roses. She looked down at it. She couldn't hide how happy she was. Millicent smiled at her. They too, along with Blaise Zabini, had been very close since they were children. It seemed a little ironic to Pansy that both Millicent and Gregory, and Blaise and Vincent had hated each other throughout Hogwarts, and now they were married.

It had been hard to choose between her two best friends for Maid of Honour, and she knew Draco had struggled to pick between his two best friends for the role of best man, but it had finally been decided; Blaise would be her Maid of Honour, and Gregory would be Draco's best man.

Pansy's father came out of the house, and hugged her. He, too, was proud of his daughter.

"Narcissa sent an owl, sweet pea. They'll be Apparating over in half an hour. You sure you'll be ready?" he said with a grin.

"Of course dad!" she said, kissing his cheek.

When Draco's face had disappeared from the flames, Ginny couldn't help her heart leaping in her chest. He didn't want to get married to Pansy! This is what she had wanted, but now she felt bad for Pansy. After all, Pansy and Draco had been an item since they had left school, but Draco had been seeing Ginny throughout that time. Six years on, the love of her life was about to get married, but couldn't do it. She rushed up the stairs, soon followed by Hermione.

"Ginny, are you really thinking of coming between the two of them, on their wedding day?" Hermione asked, sharply.

"Hermione, Draco wants me to go over there I'm not going to get in between them! Did you not hear Draco? He doesn't want to marry her!" she replied, slightly angry.

"Ginny, you can't go! It'll ruin everything! Pansy will be completely ripped to shreds!" Hermione continued.

"And if Draco marries her, he'll be stuck in a loveless marriage, and I'll curl up into a ball and die." she said.

"Ginny, don't talk like that! You'll find love again, I promise!" Hermione was trying to calm Ginny down. This only made her angrier.

"RON! GET HERMIONE AWAY FROM ME!" Ginny screamed, and slammed the door in Hermione's face.

Ginny threw herself down on the bed, tears streaming from her eyes. It's so easy for Hermione to say that! She was getting married to Ron soon, so she's had nothing to worry about. What about me? I'm never going to fall in love again...Draco's the only person I want to be with and if I can't be with him, I'd rather die.

She wiped her eyes, and opened a bedside drawer. Nothing was in it, except a small pendant. She lifted it out by the chain, and put it on, before Apparating. Her bedroom in the Burrow was gone now, and, within moments, she stood in Malfoy Manor, in Draco's room.

Pansy had twenty-five minutes to go, and she wasn't nervous. She wanted to be, but everything was perfect. So instead, she sat outside, under the rose-covered arch, and talked with Millicent and Blaise, who had finally arrived. They talked of their years at Hogwarts together, as well as all the fun they had had. Vincent and Gregory stood to one side, whispering to each other. They knew about Draco's loss of love for Pansy, and his love for Ginny and they weren't pleased, but they weren't about to ruin Pansy's big day by telling her.

Millicent waved them over, and they put a stop to their conversation and joined their wives and Pansy.

Draco was crouched by the fire still, even though Ginny's beautiful face gone from it. She was coming here, probably to convince him he had to marry Pansy. And if she does, I don't know what I'll do. He went and sat on his bed. He wondered if Ginny was wearing the pendant, he had given her. It was a locket, with a photo of him in one side, and space for her to put a picture of her in the other. On the back he'd had " G, I love you, love always, D" inscribed on the back. He stood once again and locked the door, so his mother wouldn't interrupt them when Ginny Apparated in. As though she had heard his thoughts, there was a crack! And Ginny was standing beside him.

He took her in his arms, and kissed her softly. He was a wreck. Ginny could feel him shaking when he kissed her.

"Draco, what's this all about, eh?" she said, trying to play tough with him.

"Do you think I should do it? Get married, I mean...?" he asked, quietly.

"Yes, I do." She told him, even though her body yearned for her to say no.

"Give me one good reason... The woman I love is standing in front of me, not waiting at Parkinson Place," he told her. She stopped to think, but her brain was telling her one thing: Tell him not to marry her! However, Draco continued. "Ginny... If I called this whole thing off with Pansy," he paused to get down on one knee, and take out a small box. "Would you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?"

Her jaw dropped, and she felt tears prick her eyes. She took the box from him and opened it. A solitaire diamond ring was inside it. She gasped, and simply nodded as her reply. Draco took out the ring, and slid it onto her finger, before standing up. She flung her arms around him, whispering 'I love you,' over and over again, tears still falling.

Suddenly, Ginny broke away from him. He looked at her, puzzled.

"I think," she said, " That a certain Ms Parkinson needs to be told that the wedding is off, first, don't you?"

Ten minutes to go, and Pansy was finally feeling nervous. She'd gone to her room to wait for her father to come and get her, ready to walk her down the aisle, when the fireplace began crackling. She looked at it, and saw Draco's head, suddenly.

"Draco!" she exclaimed. "You're not supposed to see me before the wedding!"

"Pansy..." he paused. "There won't be a wedding... It's over. I'm sorry."

"Draco, no!" Pansy had started crying. "It's just last minute nerves! Draco..." she paused. "I don't work without you...please don't go..."

"Pansy, it's not nerves... I'm not in love with you... I don't think I ever was...I'm sorry..." and with that, his face disappeared from the fire, and Pansy was left alone, shattered and torn.


	2. Chapter 2: One Dream Shattered, Another ...

Chapter 2 - One Dream Shattered, Another Dream Realised

Pansy sank down into a chair, the realisation of what just happened sinking in. The tears that had slowly fallen down her cheeks when she had spoken to Draco were now falling thick and fast, but she didn't acknowledge them. All she could think of was that in ten minutes, she would have to walk up the aisle alone, and explain to everyone what was happening. She couldn't do it. She screamed for her father. Mr. Parkinson rushed in, and, seeing his daughter's tear-streaked face, knew something was wrong.

"Sweetheart?" he asked, questioningly.

She flung her arms around him, not even thinking of saying a word. He knew then what had happened. "I'll tell your mother, and we can tell the guests, if you want?" she nodded.

"Thanks dad..." She said, weakly.

Her father left the room, and she was, again, alone. She sat there for a long time, thinking things over, and, eventually, she stood up and made her way to the mirror. An hour or so ago, this mirror had showed her looking perfect. Now what it showed was something very different.

Staring at Pansy was a girl, the same height as her, but she was a dishevelled mess. Her hair was all over the place, her tiara crooked, and her eyes puffy and red. This didn't bother her. What bothered her was the trail of black mascara that was running down her cheeks and neck, and even on to her wedding dress. She had nothing but this dress now.

Blaise and Millicent walked into her room, and sat beside her, trying to comfort her, but she would have none of it. She asked them to leave, and, reluctantly, they did, promising to owl her when they arrived home. She nodded, the words not making full sense to her.

When everyone had left her home, and her parents had told everyone to leave her in peace, she lay on her bed, crying. She remembered all the things that had happened between her and Draco. It was in this room that he had proposed, and she had spent the night watching him sleep. That night was so far away now, so out of reach. She longed for Draco, and the days spent at the beach, or the picnics in the park, or even at Draco's house, where they had sat making plans, and laughing together. Draco was her world. She loved him before anyone had. She'd loved him since they were born. They were soul mates, destined to be together. Why didn't Draco see that?

"What am I going to do without you, Draco, my love?" she whispered, amidst tears. She was still in her wedding dress. As if she only realised it that moment, she cast it off, and pulled on one of Draco's tee shirts. Wiping her eyes now, she walked to the window, just in time to watch the sunset.

The redness of the sky hurt her eyes a little, but, when her eyes had focused on it properly, it was really quite beautiful. The reds and oranges that tinted the clouds were like a fire, warming her inside. She and Draco would always watch the sunsets together, and she wished, again, that Draco could be here with her.

Had she known the real reason Draco had left her, she would have understood why he enjoyed watching the sunset with her.

Draco stood by his window, watching the sunset. The fiery colours reminded him of his own fire, sitting on his bed. He watched her. Her auburn hair that flowed so erotically down her back, in waves, her freckles, her button nose, everything about her was cute.

He went and sat down next to her, kissing her neck softly. She smiled.

"Draco..." she whispered. "We won't be able to have a big wedding, you know..."

"Why not?" he asked, puzzled.

"Well... The father of the bride pays for the wedding, right? So, my dad, and my family, doesn't have that much money..."

"So? Don't forget love, I have father's money..." he said, kissing her neck again. "And besides, I wasn't expecting you to pay for the wedding. It's our big day, and I want it to be perfect, so, if you want a big wedding, we'll have one..." He smiled.

She smiled, and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Draco Malfoy, I really do..."

"I love you too, Ginny Weasley." he pushed her down on his bed, kissing her lips.

Pansy's mother and father were in her bedroom. Mr. Parkinson was shocked at what he saw. Mrs. Parkinson wouldn't stop crying. She clung to her daughter's dead body, lying on bloody sheets, her warm tears falling on Pansy's cold body. She hadn't died through lose of blood though. Her wand was lying beside her. Mr. Parkinson knew what had happened.

He had been walking past Pansy's room on his way back from the kitchen. He'd been to get a warm glass of milk to help her sleep. As he opened the door, he heard Pansy shout 'Avada Kedavra' and saw a green light. He'd dropped the glass, and run into the room. It was too late. Pansy was dead. He cried by her side, before clearing up the broken glass, and going to tell Mrs. Parkinson.

"Enya, Enya... Wake up..." he's whispered quietly.

"Michael? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he said nothing, but took her by the hand, and led her to Pansy's room. She rushed to Pansy's bedside, and this is where she had stayed all morning.

Mr. Parkinson vowed then that Draco Malfoy's life would not be perfect. Not after he caused the suicide of his daughter.


	3. Chapter 3: Explanations and Moving Away

Chapter 3 – Explanations and Moving Away

Narcissa sat in the drawing room, a letter in hand, crying silently. The paper trembled in her hand as she re-read it, going through things in her mind. Finally, she stood, and white-faced, shuffled to the drawer, and took out some red paper. She sat at the desk and penned a long letter. She called a house elf and, muttering a charm over the letter, gave it to him to be dispatched. As the house elf left, Narcissa made her way to the door, looked back at everything, before walking out.

Draco lay in his bed, an arm wrapped around Ginny, when he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," he said irritably.

The house elf walked in, and handed Draco an envelope. It opened immediately.

"Draco, you have disappointed me. Disappointed isn't the word to describe it. You know what your father and I think of the Weasleys. As for what you've done, do you have any idea what damage it has caused? Not only has it severed the links between two great families, who have been friends for centuries, you have blood on your proverbial hands. Pansy committed suicide last night. The Parkinsons are devastated Draco.You've cost them their only child, who they loved so much. Can't you see what you've done? They have lost all respect for us. I hope you are happy. You and your father have pushed me to my limits." His mother's voice was cold, angry, and harsh. He feared this more than he did his father's raised voice. His mother only talked to him like this if she was really hurt and disappointed by him.

Ginny stirred against him. Draco looked down at her, his face white.

"Ginny?" Draco whispered. Ginny opened her eyes in response. "I think you need to hear this."

Once Draco had recounted his mother's harsh words to him, Ginny's cheeks flushed red with rage.

"How dare she? Who does she think she is? Why's she blaming you for Pansy's death? You didn't kill her, did you? She did it herself. How can your own mother blame you for this? I just don't understand it! Why doesn't she just chuck you in Azkaban? The way she's talking is like you killed Pansy. But you didn't kill Pansy. She killed herself. I don't understand your mother's way of thinking Draco!" Ginny was rambling her thoughts out.

Draco looked at her for a long moment, taking in all the things she had said, and walked to the door.

"I think you should tell your parents about us. I'm going to find my mother, and talk to her." He said, and walked out of the room. He seemed to be slamming the door, but instead clicked it shut, which was somehow worse.

Ginny dressed silently, before Apparating back to the Burrow.

Ginny saw her room appearing in front of her; she was home. Even though this was all so familiar, she felt strangely out of place here. She shrugged the feeling off and went downstairs to see her entire family and the others gathered around the table. They didn't look pleased.

'Welcome home, me...' Ginny whispered.

Draco stood outside his bedroom door, leaning against it. He knew Ginny had Apparated back home. He walked around silently, thinking about the words his mother said, and Ginny's outburst in the bedroom about it.

Before he knew where he was going, he was outside his mother's bedroom. He knocked, but nothing. Slowly, he opened the door. Everything was as it should be. Everything but the huge brown owl perched on the open window. Draco stood still for a moment, before walking up to the owl. There was a rolled up piece of parchment attached to its leg, which Draco removed. The owl flew away as Draco unrolled the parchment.

"Dear Mr Malfoy,

We are sorry to inform you that your mother has checked in to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. She claims the two most important men have driven her to the point of insanity in her life, and she wants to stay here. If you have any queries or would like to talk to her, feel free to come down to London and stop by.

Yours sincerely,

Aesculapius Soledad."

Draco looked a little stunned. His mother was in St Mungo's? His mother? That couldn't be possible. Draco opened his bedroom door, dressed hurriedly and Apparated to St Mungo's, his thoughts on his mother and on how he would break the news to Ginny.

"Where were you?" Mrs Weasley questioned Ginny as soon as she entered the room.

"No-where..." Ginny said, looking at her feet.

"That's not what Hermione said, Ginny. You've been with that Malfoy again, haven't you? What did I tell you about him? He's a Death Eater for Merlin's sake!" Mrs Weasley continued.

"No he's not mum! And if you'd bothered to listen to me, you'd know that!" Ginny gave Hermione a death-stare. "And anyway," she continued. "I'm 22 years old, and I can do what I want. We're engaged."

The look on everyone's face said it all.

"Engaged? What are you talking about, engaged? You can't be." Mrs Weasley exclaimed.

"Well, we are, so get used to it Mum." Ginny replied, a hint of anger rising in her voice.

"I swear he's put the Imperius curse on you, Gin. There is no way he's really going to marry you." Ron added, taking his mother's side.

"Really? You think so? Then why isn't he married to Pansy Parkinson? Why did she commit suicide when he told her he didn't want to be with her?" Ginny's cheeks flushed an angry red. "Why does he want to spend the rest of his life with me, and defy his mother, who claims he has blood on his hands?"

A silence fell about the room. Could she really mean all the things she was saying?

"What are you talking about, Ginny? Pansy Parkinson isn't dead..." Mr Weasley said, voice shaking.

"Yes she is." Ginny said bluntly.

"And you don't care that it's because of you?" Came Hermione's voice, quietly calm.

"It's not because of me, Hermione. Draco left her of his own accord. I didn't tell him to leave her, did I?" Ginny said, angered.

"Ginevra Weasley, if you think for one second we are going to allow you to marry Draco Malfoy you are severely mistaken! If you want to marry him, go ahead, but don't bother to darken our doorstep again!" Mr Weasley said, his voice raised. "I though we'd taught you better than to run off with a Death Eater, but obviously your reaction to Pansy's death shows how twisted you've become. I can only think you never recovered from your experiences with Tom Riddle's diary. We certainly never brought you up to be so callous and cold hearted."

Ginny looked at her father. "Fine. I'll go, and never 'darken your doorstep again' as you so nicely put it." She turned away from them. "I hope you'll be very happy." She made her way up the stairs.

Ginny packed a trunk full of things, and, taking a last look around the room which had been hers for 22 years, and Apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

As soon as she arrived, she knew Draco wasn't there. The house had a different feel to it completely when he wasn't there; as if the house knew Draco wasn't around.

"Draco, where are you?" She whispered. Everything seemed darker now. Her family had just thrown her out because of who she loved, someone had committed suicide because the two of them being together, and now Draco wasn't here.

Ginny sat on her trunk, and cried. Everything was going wrong. She didn't know who to turn to.

Something nipped her shoulder, and she looked up to see a black owl hovering a little way above her, a roll of parchment attached to its leg. She took the parchment from the owl's leg, and read it.

"Mother...St. Mungo's..." Ginny read. She dropped the parchment, and walked towards the fireplace. Taking a pinch of Floo Powder from the pot on the mantelpiece, threw it in the fire, and muttered her destination.

Draco stood in the reception of St. Mungo's. From one of the fires he saw Ginny. She walked over to him slowly. He put his arms around her, and a solitary tear rolled down his cheek. Ginny held him close.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered. Draco said nothing, but held her tighter.

They stood there for a long time, just in each other's arms, Ginny making herself strong inside for Draco's sake. He broke away.

"They said she's not going to come out of here. She doesn't want to."

"Oh, Draco..." Ginny stroked his cheek. "She's going to be okay, though, right?"

Draco didn't answer straight away. "I...I don't know, Ginny...I feel like it's my fault..."

Malfoy Manor seemed quieter that evening. Draco and Ginny had returned and talked everything over, but despite this, there was still silence between them when they ate.

They sat by the fireside, Ginny staring at the flames, and Draco lost in his thoughts. It was past midnight when Ginny stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to head off to bed." She whispered as she kissed his cheek. "Goodnight."

Draco nodded, and turned his head to catch her lips on his. "Night, Gin." He sat there for a while, looking at the flames, and thinking about what was to come when his father found out, before making his way slowly up the stairs to the bedroom.

Ginny rolled over. She couldn't sleep well. Everything that had happened today was too much for her to handle. She wanted to be wrapped in Draco's arms, and forget about everything. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and she closed her eyes.

Draco entered the room silently, and undressed. Today had been a real struggle, for both of them, but they were going to get through it, despite all the odds.

He looked to Ginny, who was asleep, or at least appeared it. If it weren't for the tears rolling silently down her face, he would have been fooled. He laid beside her, pulling her close to him, and stroked her tear-stained cheeks. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I love you, Ginevra..." He whispered.

"I love you too Draco..." she replied, pressing her lips against his.


End file.
